You Found Me
by Miranda Everlark
Summary: Getting lost isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes, we find ourselves on the other side of the same spectrum, but we see things with different eyes. And maybe, upon getting lost, some of us find what we never intended to search for.
1. Homecoming

**A.N: **Formerly entitled, Disappear. I apologize for my ambivalence with regards to the title, and to the events that occur in each chapter. This was still a work-in-progress when I started typing it out, and then I reread it and found that I'd created characters of my own and labeled them with existing names. That kind of cancels out the truth that I'm only playing in Kishimoto's sandbox, hence, it's been redone. I hope you enjoy this version better than the previous one. God bless & happy reading.

**You Found Me: **Getting lost isn't always a bad thing. Sometimes, we find ourselves on the other side of the same spectrum, but we see things with different eyes. And maybe, upon getting lost, some of us find what we never intended to search for.

* * *

**Lost and Found**

**Chapter One: Homecoming**

He made his way through the forest, his pace slightly faster than usual. His obsidian eyes staring directly ahead, to his home village, to his Konoha. Admittedly, he was both excited and terrified to enter the place he once called home. He knew that the denizens of Konoha wouldn't be pleased with his return. Heck since he left they'd all wanted him dead. But he didn't care. They weren't who he came home for. He came home to the people who'd supported him through his dark days, to his precious people.

Though it was hard to believe, he truly did regret his actions. During those sleepless nights, when all that was audible were the hysterical screams of those unfortunate enough to become Orochimaru's test subjects, he found it easy to reflect. Reflect on the aspects of his life; the path he's chosen, his regrets, the what-if's, and all the endless possibilities that he could've accomplished if he hadn't strayed.

Perhaps he'd be a jounin now, working as a loyal Konoha shinobi. On missionless days, he'd be with his best friend, Naruto, training their asses off and getting on each other's nerves. Afterwards they'd go for ramen, and maybe meet their lazy sensei along the way. And Sakura…

Maybe he'd the one she comes home to. If he hadn't left, maybe he'd finally find the courage to admit how much of an effect she had on him. He'd spill his heart out to her, just like the countless times she did to him, and they'd be happy. He'd finally be happy. Maybe along the lines, he'd forget about revenge, and just settle with being hers.

That was when he'd made up his mind. If it was too late, then it was too late. But he'd be damned if he didn't try. He trusted that what she felt for him was true, but then again, he hadn't promised her anything, had he?

Haunting images plagued his mind. What if she'd moved on with her life and buried him in the past? He couldn't bear it. The fear was enough to hold him back. But he knew he shouldn't let it get to him. He'd rather face the truth than live a life full of regrets and what-ifs.

The large gates of home were getting closer with every step he took.

_It was late in the evening in Sound. Oblivious to the maniacal plans of Orochimaru, Sasuke lay down in his bed, musing. He thought of Konoha, how it had been since that day 6 years ago, how Naruto was, how she was._

_Absentmindedly, he opened his drawer and took the picture he'd stuck at the top. He didn't know what compelled him to bring along a tangible reminder of the past, but he couldn't bring himself to regret it. Those memories were the only thing that retained his sanity through scream-filled and sleepless nights. It brought back too many pleasant, yet haunting memories. _

_A wave of nostalgia hit him. A memory that came to his mind was their first meeting with their talented, and profusely perverted, sensei. The stupid bells test where he got buried in dirt and Naruto got tied to the trunk of a tree. That would have been hilarious if he wasn't the victim in the comedic act._

_While staring at the picture, his mind was then bombarded with questions, regarding his former sensei, his best friend and a certain female with candy-colored locks. He absentmindedly wondered what they were doing, and if ever they were thinking of him._

_He stuck it back inside the top of his drawer and closed his eyes, images of their times together flooded into his mind. His sanity wouldn't be able to take much more of this. A leisurely stroll would calm his nerves._

_Obsidian eyes, so full of confusion and doubt, looked up at the silver moon, seemingly searching for an answer. Should he go back? To the village? If he did, what would he find? Has everything changed? More importantly, how would they receive him? The thought scared him. After all that he had done, could he still have a second chance? Can one right, erase all his wrongs? He didn't know. Surely Naruto would still welcome him with open arms, and Sakura would too. Wouldn't she? Maybe that was what scared him most. The thought of being shunned by her. The thought of losing her. Sure she'd been naïve and foolish to fawn over him in the past, but what she felt for him was _real. _He'd seen the look in her eyes the last time they'd he'd seen her. She still felt that way. But that was six years ago. Many things could've changed that. _

_He was truly stupid. He took for granted the things that many men crave for. A home, friends, and a person that loves him more than he ever thought possible. But he turned his back on all of that, just for revenge. A goal he has yet to accomplish, and maybe, a goal he never would. _

_After what seemed like hours of musing, he came up with a decision. Tomorrow will be the day that everything changes. Tomorrow._

_Hours before sunrise, he woke up enclosed by darkness, deafened by silence. Dawn came with the sounds of clashing metal and the metallic scent of blood. Silent screams fell on deaf ears as the conurbation behind him burned to the ground. His pilgrimage had only begun, as he set off, homeward bound._

He was mere yards away from the East Gate, where he left his life in Konoha six years ago, when an ANBU intercepted him.

"Halt. Uchiha Sasuke, what is your purpose here?" The man behind the porcelain cat mask asked, instantaneously falling in his battle stance.

"I come to make peace with the Hokage."

The ANBU stared at him with disbelief, with his guard still up. He sensed it right away and instantly pulled Orochimaru's head from out of his knapsack. The ANBU stopped completely on his tracks and relaxed slightly in his stance.

"Is this proof enough?" he asked with displeasure. His patience was wearing thin.

"Yes. Forgive me Uchiha-san. I shall immediately arrange an audience with the Hokage."

"Hn."

The ANBU led the way to Hokage tower as he closely followed.

Tsunade had a wonderful start to her day. She had a bottle of sake and dango for breakfast, she found the scroll she'd been looking for the past few weeks and the paper work hasn't piled up yet, and it's almost noon.

'_Ah. I wish everyday would be like today.' _She thought to herself, as she comfortably laid back on her chair and raised her feet to her desk. Then she mentally slapped herself. Another one of her sad smiles appeared on her cherry-red lips. It's been so long ago, yet it still felt as though it had happened yesterday. She refused to be happy after that. Yet why was she content now? As her thoughts were getting the best of her, a knock was heard from the other side of the door.

"Tsunade-sama, you have a very important visitor."

"Let him in."

She almost fell from her chair when she saw who it was. Those cold obsidian eyes, fair skin and bristly ebony hair only belonged to Sasuke Uchiha. It took her a minute or two to regain her composure and get over the shock and burst of emotions that flooded through her in a matter of seconds. Is she dreaming? Was this all really happening?

"What are you doing here Uchiha?"

He stayed silent and just placed a knapsack at the top of her desk. She silently glanced at him, then back down at the putrid package. Sensing it as a beckoning to show her what was inside, he pulled the old snake's head from the bag. Tsunade covered her nose and waved her hands around to relieve herself of the stench, but what she saw greatly surprised her. She gave him a questioning look, one he knew all too well.

"I killed him and destroyed sound." He let out flatly. The hokage responded as professionally as she could during a situation like that.

"I see. Very well then. This means that you'll be eligible to once again be a ninja of Konoha. But first you must be interrogated. While that transpires, I will be working on the paper work for you to be officially revoked of your criminal status, clear?"

"Yes Tsunade-sama."

"Very well, Ibiki will be here in a while so please just make yourself comfortable."

Again, he didn't speak, but followed her orders. Truth be told, he was tense. His insides coiled up painfully, because he was afraid. Afraid of being forsaken by his home. Afraid of not being able to mend the broken bonds he'd left. Afraid of the possibility of being all by himself. He inwardly smirked. How ironic this whole situation was. Six years ago, that was all he wanted. He wanted to be alone, and they just wouldn't leave him. Now he wants to be with them yet fears that it might be them who leave him. If they do, he couldn't blame them. After all, he dealt the first blow. He probably deserved it too. He'd been a pain in the ass for everyone.

After about 10 minutes or so, Ibiki came through the door and escorted him to the ANBU Interrogation Facility. He was asked many questions regarding in his motive for leaving Konoha, siding with Orochimaru and destroying sound. He answered the questions flawlessly and after a few grueling hours, he was referred back to Hokage Tower to arrange his settlements.

Tsunade decided to let him stay in his old apartment, but warned him about the dust and grime that would welcome him when he got there and gave him some pocket money. He agreed to the terms given to him and turned toward the door, but suddenly remembered to ask something.

"Hokage-sama, where's my hitai-ate?"

"I think it's with Naruto. You can ask it from him in the morning. Rest for now. I expect your return here tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

"Hai." Then he turned his heel and left.

He walked slowly through the quiet streets of Konoha. Everybody was already sound asleep. The daily hustle and bustle ceased for the night but would start again tomorrow, as early as the sun rises. He reached his apartment and picked the lock. The lights revealed the wreckage this place had been since he left. It had been dustier than expected, he thought as he ran his fingers against the white sheet covering the sofa. He analyzed his surroundings carefully and noticed that even though it was dusty, it was still well maintained. The floorboards were still intact, as was the ceiling. No bite marks of any pests were visible. He decided that he would hire a cleaner tomorrow, removed the covering on the sofa and just laid there and immediately fell asleep.

He woke up in the morning feeling a tinge of excitement. Immediately, he sat up and walked out the door to ask for a house cleaner, get some food and buy himself some new clothes with the money Tsunade gave him last night.

He walked out his apartment door and made his way to Ichiraku's for some much awaited breakfast. He sat there and immediately, Ichiraku greeted him.

"So it was true. Welcome back Sasuke." He said happily.

Sasuke just smirked at him and voicing a quiet 'thank you.' He was given some pork ramen on the house.

He was almost done eating when he heard an all too familiar voice.

"Hey! I'm hungry. Can you give me the usual please?" he said with a cheeky grin and sat down.

Sasuke blinked a few times to see if he wasn't just dreaming. It was Naruto. His features have become sharper, more prominent, but he still had that cheeky grin and loud mouth. The whiskers on his face were still there and his hair had grown out a bit, but he still had that spiky do and his blinding orange and blue jumpsuit was replaced with something similar, heck almost identical, jumpsuit, but in orange and black. It took a minute at most for Naruto to realize that he was staring at him. His eyes widened with disbelief.

"Teme?"

"Dobe." He replied nonchalantly as he finished his bowl of ramen.

"Teme!" he shouted, lunging at him with that ever-so-cheeky grin on his face.

"You're back Teme! You're back!" He exhilaratedly shouted.

"Way to go captain obvious." Sasuke replied with a smirk, as he was getting tackled by his best friend.

"Shut up!" Naruto said, still smiling. Unshed tears of joy welled up in his azure eyes, which pulled on Sasuke's heartstrings. He'd missed the sunny loudmouth idiot more than he'd like to admit.

When Naruto finally let go, he asked,

"Since when have you been back?"

"Yesterday."

"I missed you Teme. We missed you."

Sasuke just smirked. Naruto wasn't any different from what he expected. He was still the same old, loud-mouthed blonde that annoyed the hell out of him. But there was a sudden change in his tone and he said the last part in a soft whisper.

"C'mon let's take a walk around Konoha." He said cheekily, all the remnants of his sadness disappearing. Maybe he was just being paranoid.

"I still have to do some cleaning dobe."

"Aw! C'mon teme! Don't be such a kill-joy."

After all this years, their bond still remained. As much as he wanted to say yes, he still had more to organize.

"I'm sorry Dobe. I still have to go to Hokage-sama to finalize the legitimacy of 'return' as you might call it."

"Aw. You're no fun." Naruto pouted like a child.

"I'll come by your place tomorrow." Sasuke replied with a faint smile. Naruto's pout was wiped clear off his face at his best friend's rare show of affection. Honestly, he didn't expect that the rumors of Sasuke's return were true at all. But he really hoped. It's been too long since he'd been alone, since spring had left, that he was starting to lose all hope.

"Well, alright. But you have to _really _make up for it."

"Deal. Well bye Dobe. See you later." The raven haired male really wished he didn't have to leave so soon.

"Aw! But I just got here teme!" Naruto whined. He expected to spend the day with his wayward best friend, but it looked like he was still busy.

"Hokage-sama is expecting me." And he left.

Sasuke lightly smiled to himself as he walked around the streets of Konoha. He had seen many of his old friends, and acquaintances, among the myriad of civilians openly pointing and glaring at him. It couldn't be helped, he supposed. He did, after all, desert the village and join a psychopath.

As he was nearing the Hokage Tower, he wondered, where was Sakura? Why hadn't he run into her yet? Maybe she was on a mission. He entered and thought to not bring the subject matter up with Tsunade. He wanted her to know it _first. _The door was at his sight and he knocked gently and opened the door. Tsunade sat on her chair and gazed at him softly.

"Well Sasuke, before everything else, I would like to inform you that I have spoken to the elders about your little predicament, and we've agreed on a punishment for you. I'm quite thankful that you brought back that snake's head. That made your sentence lighter by tenfold. " She cleared her throat and his silence meant for her to continue.

"Your chakra will be effectively sealed for atleast a couple of months, proceed to Ibiki after this so he may carry on with the procedure. Also to immediately take the next upcoming Chuunin and Jounin Exams, is that clear?"

He just nodded his head.

"Now, do you have any more questions?"

"Actually I do Tsunade-sama. When will I be able to participate on missions and how will I earn a living if I am to be idle for the next month or so?"

"After you pass the exams you'll be given A and B Class missions only. You may try for the ANBU as well. As for your financial issues, I'll give you an allowance every week until you are able to earn your own income. Any more?"

He wanted to ask about her, but he thought otherwise. Prying wouldn't do good for his temper.

"No. Thank you for your time Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade just gave him a small smile and a curt nod before he left. He made his way down the street and pass the Yamanaka Flower Shop. Ino recognized the duck-ass hair and stared at him like he had two heads. He was getting annoyed, but then he noticed the softness in her eyes, and her sullen expression. She looked sad, for some reason. He hadn't the time to ask what.

Her gaze followed him as he walked. It took all her self control just to stop herself from going out there and make him eat dirt, make him pay for all the pain and hurt she'd caused her best friend all these years. But then she thought otherwise. Sakura wouldn't have wanted that.

He made his way to Ibiki and got his chakra sealed for the time being. After an hour or two, he was let out and he casually walked to his apartment. He clearly had forgotten to ask for a cleaning lady. Sighing to himself, he decided that he be the one to clean his own apartment. Who knows what he might find there. Plus, nobody was as obsessively compulsive about cleanliness as an Uchiha.

From the utility closet in the living room, he found a broom, some rags and a dust pan. The area made him want to give up all hope of seeing it tidy, as the thick layers of dust covered the white cloth that protected his furniture and the myriad of cobwebs on every corner of the room. Beforehand, he checked if the bedroom, bathroom and kitchen were just as bad, and just his luck, they were. He let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his midnight locks. He refused to give up! He killed Orochimaru single-handedly and burned down Sound. A little dirt, okay a lot of dirt won't make him wuss out.

He inhaled deeply and tried to refrain from choking at the unclean air and started by removing the coverings of the furniture then sweeping the well-maintained floor boards and finally wiping the other dirty surfaces clean. He also replaced the bed sheets, cleaned out the closet and made a mental note to shop for some clothes and grocery items tomorrow.

Cleaning his apartment took way longer than expected. It had already been dark and all he wanted to do was lie down on his recently cleaned bed. He felt too exhausted to move and even eat. He found it miraculous that he had the strength to tale a warm shower. Damn his freakishly neat tendencies.

Much to his dismay though, he would have to wait until tomorrow to see her. Kami, how he missed her. It took some time for him to realize, well, 6 years actually, that he also had feelings for her, his pink-haired teammate. He denied it to himself over and over again, to the point that he would bang his head on the wall just to forget. He would tell her tomorrow. His heart beat faster just by thinking of it, but little did he know of fate's deceit. That he, would suffer from the treacherous turn his kismet had made.

* * *

**A.N: **This is the redone version of an otherwise confusing beginning for this story. I hope you'll find this better than the last because in my opinion, it is a much more promising beginning for the story than the original version.


	2. Revelations

**A.N: **Some of you may be wondering why Sasuke's being emotional, a bit OOC really, and that I'm going against the whole 'playing in Kishimoto's sandbox' by doing that, but I really do believe that Sasuke has a whirlwind of emotions that he never shows, well because he's afraid that he might get attached to people. He puts up walls and barriers to keep them out and shield him from pain. I've deduced that from the events of his childhood. The said characters isn't at the top of my favorite list, but I still think he deserves some justification for his actions even if it's coming for a wanna-be writer like I. My babbling will end here. On with the story. God bless & happy reading.

* * *

**You Found Me**

**Chapter Two: Revelation**

Sasuke trudged down the familiar setting of Konoha in a hastened pace, with his heart pounding vehemently at his chest and adrenaline coursing through his veins. Today would be the day, the day he'd make up for the six years of wasted time. He would apologize to her for leaving her lying on that cold stone bench, for all the times he called her annoying, made her feel unimportant and for not realizing sooner how much she really meant to him.

His thoughts drifted off to what her life might be like after those six long years. Did she still smile as brightly as she used to? Did she think about him constantly? Was she still waiting for him? Fear and excitement flooded through him, oblivious to him which of the two were greater, but there was something inside him nagging him to stop and turn around. The feeling was what he considered, minute, and dismissed it.

Her house came into view and he felt his mouth run dry out of sheer nervousness. This was it. The beginning of what could be happiness for the two of them or a life time's worth of regret for him. If the latter were to happen, he only had himself to blame. She offered him her unconditional love, over and over again but it took him long enough to realize that he reciprocated her feelings. His desire for revenge was too great back then, too great for him to release his pride. Back then, having any emotion with no relation to violence, and any kind of malevolence was considered a weakness to him. But as they say, you'll never know what you'll have until it's gone, and when it's gone, you can never take it back. Another long, exasperated sigh escaped his dry lips.

A strong gust of wind snapped him out of his temporary reverie. It took him a few moments of recollection to retain information as to where he was. Hesitant as he was, he knocked on the door. No answer. He repeated the action another two or three times but still, nobody answered. Deciding she wasn't there, he left and started his search. The first place that came to his mind was the old bridge where their team used to meet up at.

Once more, he trudged down the all too familiar streets of his home village. The nagging feeling hasn't gone away. His pace was somewhat slower than the usual, a fact that remained oblivious to him because of his constant vagueness, he reached his desired location in twice the time he would have on days of pure, unadulterated normalcy. The mere sight of her almost knocked all the wind out of his system, Sakura looked like an earth angel, her carnation hair billowing in the morning breeze, her emerald eyes that mirrored her very soul. How he missed seeing her, hearing her melodious voice. Her eyes made her way to his direction and were immediately brimming with mixed emotions, all of which seemed pleasant save for one.

"Sasuke?"

Jumping to her feet, she ran to him and hugged him tight, leaving her head to rest on his well-built chest. Instinctively, he wrapped his arms around her and reveled in the feeling of her warm, petite frame against his. Her tears spilt like raindrops on the white fabric of his shirt.

"I'll never leave again, I promise." He buried his face into her soft candy-colored locks.

"Why?" That was all she said to him before she backed away. The tears kept on coming, as she handed him what looked like a flower, a stripped carnation to be exact.

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke immediately jolted up from his bed, beads of sweat dripping down his forehead and his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

'_What__was__that__dream__all__about?__' _He asked himself.

With all his might, he tried to go back to sleep but couldn't. There was a familiar pain in his chest. One he couldn't put his finger on. He tried forcing it to the back of his mind but it'd still come back and haunt him.

According to his the clock on his bedside table, it would be another hour and a half to two before sunrise. A long exasperated sky escaped his lips. Similar to the one in his dream. Laying there for another few hours wasn't an option. Madness would reign on his already distorted brain.

Charcoal eyes directed themselves to the ceiling, as his mind railed with various thoughts. Thoughts, about his weird dream and his weird feeling. It all seemed ominous to him. These feelings were somewhat foreign, even though they border the lines sadistic and emotionally scarring. Cursing under his breath, he decided to take a walk to ease his mind away from the whole ordeal. He exited his apartment and inhaled the chilly morning air which did wonders for his sleepy head, removing all unwanted thoughts and replenishing him, mind and body. His pace was lethargic, akin to that in his atypical dream, and oblivious as to where he was going. All he thought of was to pass the time.

Very few people inhabited those constantly hectic streets. Most of the shops were still closed and silenced stretched as far as the eye could see. For once he felt at peace in the middle of the streets of his home village, which made him stop momentarily and inhale deeply. For a brief moment of optimism, he murmured an incoherent wish. He slowly opened his eyes as he felt a soft gust of wind was the only sign that gave him hope that someone would hopefully hear his wish. A pitiful smirk graced his aristocratic face. How could she, of all people, possibly know about his wish? Even if that damn gust of wind passed her by, it wouldn't speak now would it? It was just blind optimism, something that was beyond out of character to him.

His smirk transformed into a remorseful smile. The thoughts of the things he had taken for granted shuffled through his mind. She always brought out the best in him. When he was at his worse, she'd cheer him up. When he fell down, she'd pull him up to his feet. And when no hope was left in sight, she'd be there, the light at the end of that dark tunnel. Never once did she despise him, and would always try her best to understand him. Truly, she was the best thing that ever came into his life. The penitent thing about it was, he didn't realize it sooner.

Dismissing all of those silly thoughts, he continued on and found himself on the old bridge their team would meet at whenever they were assigned to go on missions. He scoffed pleasantly as he started to reminisce about the memories they made on that very place. Kakashi would always come late with that perverted orange book of his and loads of random excuses. The way Naruto would start dim-witted arguments, arguing he was the better shinobi and how Sakura would just laugh at their childishness, or punch Naruto so hard it bruised. The soft look in her emerald eyes when they would stare directly at him, filled with love, compassion and promise.

For what seemed like the tenth time that day, he let out an audible sigh as he touched the surface of the bridge's railing, where she sat in his dream. It was such an enigma, but at the same time it was very portentous. Was it a warning? Or just the materialization of his deepest fears? Just to be sure, he'd ask Ino about the flower. But he'd still have to wait a few hours though. Patience wasn't his strong point, but it was the only option.

Dawn's arrival would be soon. Obsidian was fading into deep cobalt. Had he really spent that much time reminiscing? Time really is such a playful thing. Little did he know that the day he came back to make everything all right was long after it had run out for him.

After a few more moments of reminiscence, he once again set off, oblivious to where his feet would take him. A few minutes of absentminded walking passed, then he stopped with widened eyes as the familiar setting of his nightmares sent shivers down his spine. He was in front of the gates of the Uchiha Compound. The painful memories once again flooded into his mind; the metallic scent of blood, the feeling of sheer fear, the corpses all around him and his maniacal brother.

Slowly, as he walked into the compound, light-headed, the scenery started to be rid itself of that unpleasant aura and seemingly altered into the place he once called home, many summers ago, when he was still an innocent. One of his uncles was behind his fruit stands, as his aunt swept along the side of the street. His little cousins were running around and shouting as his grandfathers played checkers. Their clan was really that of elites. Imagine, they had a compound that seemed like a mini-village in itself, where everyone had dark hued hair and matching eyes.

His feet took him further, further inside and found himself in the manor where he grew up, at the heart of the Uchiha Compound. Obsidian eyes scanned through the living room as his eyes met his father's, who sat there drinking his usual morning tea, as emotionless as ever. His stern appearance did not age from when Sasuke was still eight. Memories of the disciplinary measures of his father flooded back. He was strict, a perfectionist and was very hard to please which was the opposite of his sweet, kind-hearted mother. He'd never once been acknowledged by the said man. All he saw were his flaws. It almost seemed like his own father didn't love him, only his brother, the clan heir, the person who'd be the pride of the clan, a candidate for hokage and one of the most legendary shinobi that have ever lived, was the one who ironically brought upon the clan's demise.

The mere thought of his brother made his blood boil.

He made his way to the kitchen and saw his mother making his favorite tomato salad. That put a genuine smile on his face. He remembered of the times they'd sit on the porch, eating tomatoes after his father would discipline him. Her hugs made all the pain go away. Never once did she ever treat him harshly, even after his wrong doings. She reprimanded him in her own gentle way. Reaching out, he tried to get her attention, but that ended his daydream.

He slapped himself mentally and cursed himself for his stupidity. What was he thinking about? Nothing he could do can bring them back. What's done is done. These painful memories are his daily reminder of his weakness, of how helpless he was. For once, he let himself fall to the floor, his head in his hands as he left himself unguarded from the world and all the pain it had to offer. For minutes he stayed like that, unmoving, uncaring, hopelessly wishing he could turn back the clock and make things turn out differently. He swore to himself he'd never break down, and right now, he felt to numb to. Too many tears have been spilt, too many wishes left un-granted.

Minutes later, he picked himself up from the floor, and glanced around one more time, this time seeing those invisible bloodstains long washed clean, and walked away, trying so hard to once again bury those sickening memories in the darkest recesses of his stone heart and hide those scars left by the deep wounds of long ago.

The sun was out, but still low in the sky as he exited the place he had once called home. With hooded eyes he inhaled the crisp morning air as he let his inhibitions leave with the wind. A long audible sigh passed through his dried lips.

'_Stupid dream.'_

He thought bitterly and with hesitation. As he walked back to the busy streets, he stopped in front of Ichiraku's and checked inside for Naruto. His hopes faded as he saw the place was empty. He should've known that his best friend would arrive there late, but went inside instead and ordered. There was nothing he could do but wait for the loud-mouth. Just some regular ramen would wake him up and get his brain cells up and running. Today would be the day right? So he tried being positive about it. He ate, as a civilized person would have, in a regular pace, not too fast, not too slow but absent-minded all the way. Well, at least until before the fox-vessel showed up.

"Hey I'll have half a dozen orders of pork ramen please!" The blonde said with a cheeky grin.

"Just give him one."

Naruto looked at the raven-haired Uchiha, quixotically.

"Only one teme! What do you want me to do? Starve to death!" Panic coated every syllable.

"Shut up dobe. It's too early for you to be so loud."

"That's because you want to deprive me of my precious ramen." Crossing his arms to his chest and pouting, the blonde shinobi turned his back on Sasuke.

"I just need you to accompany me somewhere. You can have your ramen later."

Naruto thought long and hard (5 minutes or so) till he came up with one of the most basic answers known to civilian and shinobi.

"Okay." He grinned and sat down beside his sweat dropping best friend.

After recovering from that out-of-character moment, Sasuke stood up and gestured Naruto to follow him.

"Where are we going teme?"

Sasuke ignored the question and just kept walking. A few seconds later, Naruto asked the same question and again, Sasuke ignored him. The cycle repeated until Naruto stopped in his tracks.

"I'm not going to move until you tell me where we're going." The fox boy said with a childish pout and his arms crossed.

"Fine."

The young Uchiha just kept on walking. Naruto's not-so-cold-looking ice-bastard façade faded in less than a minute when he saw Sasuke far away from him, and followed suit.

"Hey teme wait up!" the blonde said as he caught up to his bestfriend.

"I thought you'd never catch up."

Naruto just stayed silent as they kept on walking. He got puzzled when the raven-haired man stopped in front of the Yamanka's flower shop and entered. As expected, there she sat, reading one of her girly magazines. Immediately, she set it down on the counter as the bell on the door jingled.

"Oh. What brings you guys here so early?" she asked. She looked preoccupied with deep thoughts, that he didn't bother asking her.

"You are an expert on flowers, right Ino?"

"Well, yes Sasuke. Why do you ask?"

Naruto watched his friends' conversation. It was very hard to believe that just a few years ago, Ino was head-over-heels for Sasuke as she spoke to him in a calm, friendly manner. He spaced out a bit, and the next thing he heard was,

"…it means sorry, I can't be with you?"

Sasuke's eyes widened in fear.

'_What does it all mean…'_

He, as well as Ino, quickly took notice of his dread.

"What's the matter Sasuke?"

"I had a dream…"

"A dream? What kind of dream?" Ino asked. The silent whispering tone in his voice hinted all the sadness he's been feeling. Maybe it had something to do with…

"It was about Sakura…"

The platinum blonde's lips curved into a sad smile. It was inevitable that he'd find out, but she wasn't prepared to be the one to tell him. She didn't want to see him crack like anybody else.

"Oh. I understand…"

She looked at Naruto, who wore the same expression on his face.

"You haven't told him yet, have you?"

He just shook his head. The blonde fox lost all his vivaciousness from earlier.

"Well, he has the right to know." She let out a long audible sigh . "I'll leave you to it then."

Ino left the counter, moisture clouding her vision as she tried to avoid spilling her tears. Sasuke had a sinking feeling in his gut. His return was futile.

"Teme, could you come with me for a while?"

His heart jumped to his throat.

'_What could he possibly tell me now? Of all times.'_

The Kyuubi-vessel walked to the door, and before opening it, he looked at Sasuke, as if signaling him to follow. Sasuke complied, and followed the blonde, wordlessly.

Naruto kept on walking silently, a few paces ahead of him. No words could describe the deep tension in the air. Something was amiss, he knew that much, but he couldn't seem to put his finger on it. His mind derailed, back to his peculiar dream.

'_I'm sorry.' _

Her words rang clear in his cloudy mind. Enigmas.

Naruto kept on walking and walking, until he reached the top of Hokage Mountain. There stood a lone cherry blossom tree, filling the air around the place with its fragrance.

His blonde best friend seemed deep in reverie, with his cerulean eyes hidden from view, and that foreign, calm smile.

"She loved this place."

The Uchiha monarch could only blink. What was Naruto talking about? He wanted to ask, but he was, for some reason, he was anxious about what the answer might be. It might break him.

Since seeing Ino's reaction earlier that day, he felt wrecked and disappointed even without knowing the truth. Technically, he had deduced something with those facts, but then again, he could be wrong, and for the first time in his life, he wished he was.

"I remember one time, two summers ago, when she'd told me all about the things she'd achieved during my absence. The discovery of this sanctuary was one of it I suppose. As a kid, I'd always some up here and wreak havoc, yet I always seem to overlook this place. I speak as if I'm as old as Tsunade-baachan, I know. Maybe it's because of all those years constant worrying. "

His fathomless eyes stared for a while, conveying a silent message.

"The very same day she told me that, she'd been assigned on an S-Rank mission with a team of ANBU. She didn't go into to the details, but I knew it was something important. Tsunade-baachan said she couldn't interfere, after all it was Sakura's decision. I knew she could handle herself, but I couldn't push back the gut feeling that something bad was going to happen."

Sasuke was surprised. Never in his wildest imagination had he thought Sakura, of all people, would be part of the ANBU.

"She'd been expected them to be back in a month or two, but… they never came." Naruto choked at the last part. Even with the passage of time, the wounds of yesterday were still fresh. It's been so long since the story passed his lips that he'd forgotten.

Obsidian eyes widened. For once, confusion, pain, anger, sadness, were vividly painted on his handsome face. He paled considerably, as he felt his whole world had crumbled from under his feet.


	3. Puzzled

**A.N; **The edited version of the previously fluffy chapter. Itachi was utterly OOC, and it's quite embarrassing. I want this fic to be as canon as it gets as far as the characters are concerned. Regarding the story line, it's my desired version of the story. Also, I found that the relationship of the characters must show developments throughout the story, so I'm going to start out slow on this. Again, thank you to the readers, and a special thank you to those who reviewed, I want you to know that you made my day, for giving me purpose to continue with this.

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

* * *

**You Found Me**

**Chapter 3: Puzzled**

* * *

Amegakure: One day prior

Floating. In a void of nothingness. Darkness was all there was and emptiness felt like it was eating her up from the inside. How'd she get there? In a field where nothing seemed real, even herself. She strode, purposeless, as she roamed, trying to search for any indication of life. There was none. All hope was gone, when suddenly, she heard a voice. Everything felt like it was about to make sense, yet the vagueness of the situation dictated otherwise. The silken texture to it was something quite familiar to her. Akin to the one she keeps hearing in her head every so often, accompanied by a deep voiced, but seeming childish, laughter that belonged to another person.

They kept on repeating her name in a mantra, something she could not understand. She idly wondered what they wanted from her. Nevertheless, she followed their callings, but found only the void that surrounded her. She slumped to the ground, feeling even more baffled, haunted by the recurring voices that seemed so familiar.

Viridian eyes opened, anxious about her dream. It wasn't common for her to have these lingering thoughts; slumbers were often dreamless. What was it about? Everything seemed familiar, but vague at the same time. It felt real. At some point. The illusion threatened to make her believe its authenticity; that those voices were real, and not just a part of an elaborate make-shift reality. Immediately, she arose, not wanting anymore puzzling thoughts to arise from her slumber.

She sighed and looked out the window. How long has it been since she'd woken up unaware of her past? Two years? There were times when she contemplated on her stance. She felt like she was constantly on a thin line, threatening to lose balance at any given moment. Was it better to believe that this present life was all she had, or was it worth it to unravel the past? The thought of it makes her feel like she was bordering insanity at times.

All she knew was her name, and the fact that she'd been trained in the ways of a ninja since childhood. Everything else was an enormous mystery. Upon waking up, all she saw was the mourning sunless sky and those haunting scarlet eyes. Something was strangely familiar about those bloody irises.

The owner of those eyes was the one that showed her the life she knew today. She was thankful that he came along. Otherwise she would've just been another vagabond along the winding road of life.

He'd given her shelter, food and company, though he seldom spoke. Silence was comfortable with him though. His self-control was enviable, as was the way he schooled his emotions to perfect nonchalance. Nobody could ever decipher what goes through his head. What shocked her most was when he identified himself as a criminal. Never in her wildest imaginations would she have thought that a man of his decency was an S-Class criminal. Power oozed from his very being, but arrogance was non-existent. He seemed like a peace-loving man, and time and again he has proven that he was, avoiding bloodshed during every volatile encounter. He spoke intelligently, and by the way he moves, you could tell that he was from a good family. None of it fit.

His past was never mentioned though. It was taboo, so it seems. That mystified that emerald-eyed dame. Even though they've been partners for 3 years, she knew him only from her observations. Seldom does he talk, and hardly ever about himself. He would just communicate with her to give her instructions or ask her about her peculiar attitude.

She too, seldom spoke much. Her attitude always seemed distant. She herself didn't know why that was. Maybe she'd always been like that. But she was far softer than her partner. She smiled, humored and threw fits at the other members she felt slightly comfortable with, Kisame and Deidara for example. Hidan was just too much of a stick in the mud, and Itachi was simply out of the question. The Jashinist would just try to blow annihilate or use her as a human sacrifice, while the Uchiha was just plain blasé. She'd seem him smirk, and saw his lips twitch upward slightly, but that was all. His scoff was an equivalent of Kisame's roaring laughter.

She sighed. Using all her resolve, she stood and proceeded to the lavatory to shower. Her thoughts were getting the best of her and cold water will do well to relieve her of those. She entered and stripped herself of all her clothing and stepped through the shower curtain, turning twisting the knob to let out the icy water that was to be her escape from all her inner turmoil.

A sound of relief left her cherry lips as the frosty liquid touched her alabaster skin. All thoughts were erased, coherent and not so coherent ones. She only let herself feel.

Many minutes passed before she found the resolve to step out of the shower. She dried herself and wrapped the towel around her slim figure. She padded across her room toward her closet and pulled out her usual clothing, a crimson zip up shirt that ended an inch above her navel, with cream colored short shorts and elbow-bands tied together with a weapon belt, a medic pouch, a kunai holder on her right leg and knee-high combat boots. She wore the mandatory akatsuki cloak, but kept it open during warm days like this, and exited her room with purposeful strides towards the kitchen to get some breakfast.

Every mission-less day, she'd repeat the same cycle. Eating, training, resting. That was what she lived for. She never complained about it. She hadn't felt the need to. It was her way of life. In the beginning, it bored her to tears, but it became bearable with time. Sparring, as she found it, was most enjoyable when it was with the right people. Some examples were Kisame, with his trash-talk and his impatience, Deidara with his witty comments and predictable tactics and Itachi with that perfectly schooled expression and flawless movements. She'd never once beaten Itachi in any kind of fight. He was way too much of a genius to figure out, even without the use of his kekkei genkai.

Her train of thought was interrupted when she bumped into something solid along her way. Well speak of the devil.

"Pardon me Itachi-san."

Whenever he pinned her under those blood hued irises, she always felt like melting, even though he still had that cold expression of indifference. His presence demanded intimidation that was for sure.

"Hn."

How typical of him. He always spoke to everyone in monosyllables. She was seldom an exception. The fact saddened her in a way. He moved out of the way to let her pass, but strode the same direction as she did. He didn't fall in step with her, but was a couple of paces ahead of her.

'_Damn short legs.'_ She mentally cursed.

Nothing was out of the ordinary when they strode together in silence. Being partners for so long, had them accustomed to that. But it still bothered the pink haired female that she never got more than a few sentences from the stoic male. They had what could be called a typical partnership.

The said male, was indeed highly protective of her since the day he'd found her near the river in cloud, half-dead. He didn't know what came over him, saving someone that was supposed to be his enemy. His actions haunted him to that very day, but if he would return to that point in time, he'd still do the same. There was something about this pink-haired female that beckoned for his attention, though he highly doubted she knew. Upon saving her, he'd also accepted the obligation of caring for her, though he often kept her at arm's length. Attachment was not an option because she didn't belong in his world.

He'd debated many times before if he should enlighten her upon the past she deemed unimportant, or just let her remain as is. The latter had always won. There was a part of him that never desired to go back to the life he knew before her. Maybe it was because she was the only real company he'd had after deserting his village. Though they rarely had verbal exchanges, he felt comforted by her mere presence. It was a strange thought.

Upon reaching his destination, his musings were long forgotten. She paced toward the counter to grab some fruit and a glass. She filled it with the usual and proceeded to sit at the table. He did the same. Seldom did he have the pleasure of having breakfast with her.

They just exchanged glances; neither having anything to say. Sakura had prided herself on being a quiet woman, with him anyway, but much less so than the man before her. He seemed at emotionless as a rock.

She felt her heart race when she held his eyes for what seemed like minutes. His sharingan off, revealing mesmerizing abyss of obsidian. She felt herself getting lost.

"Sakura, kindly see to it that you examine my eyes later this evening."

It wasn't a request. It was a direct order, judging from the tone of his silky voice. She could only nod at his bluntness.

"I shall arrive at your room later this evening Itachi-san." The stern look in her eyes never wavered. He responded with a nod of approval.

Minutes of silence passed. The smaller female willed herself to speak, but could not find the right words. So she just sat there, eating her apple as she planned her day. She'd been cooped up in the base for a few weeks now. Kami help her. She was bordering insane with lack of interaction since her usual laughing buddies were out on their respective assignments.

She immediately felt distracted when she felt obsidian eyes roam over her person.

"Itachi, would you care to spar with me today?"

He curtly nodded his head in silent response.

She mentally rolled her eyes. A fish can hold a conversation better than this man. With that thought she choked out a laugh. Kisame could hold a conversation better than Itachi, even though said fish would often throw underhanded comments and wayward insults at her 99.9% of the time. She was silently rolling with mirth. The tension she felt earlier had dissipated entirely. Way to go fish man.

Itachi eyed the pastel haired maiden curiously. She was really peculiar. She can be transparent as a fragile piece of glass one minute, or vague as the turbulent cloudy sky the next. She mirrored what she felt through those endless pits of liquid emeralds he could drown in. He seldom voiced his queries, but with her, he had that strong urge to. Where it came from, he often wondered himself.

"What do you find humorous Sakura?"

She looked at him and blinked thrice. The great Itachi Uchiha voiced out his query about her peculiar behavior. If it was any other being, she would have cheerfully explained the mirthful idea of Kisame being a fish, and how it was relevant to her comparison of a good conversationist, compared to him, the stony stick-up-my-ass Uchiha prick with no sense of humor whatsoever.

"Kisame is a fish." She suppressed a giggle. The urge to tell him the complete details were strong, but she thought otherwise.

It would be very daft of her to insult this man in front of her, with that aura of his and all. Not that she was intimidated in any way. Oh no. she was used to the whole, piss-me-off-and-I'll-kill you thing. But that doesn't mean she'd be stupid enough to try and tap the nerves of the usually impassive man. He wasn't angered easily, but when he was, there was always hell to pay.

"I thought you'd come to that particular conclusion when you'd first glimpsed him?" Malachite orbs widened. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? She could've sworn she'd seen mirth and mischievousness dancing from those onyx depths. But they disappeared as fast as they appeared. In a blink of an eye you could have missed it. His onyx eyes returned to their normal icy state.

Well what do you know? The rock had a sense of humor after all.

He stood up from the table with feline grace only he can achieve. Sometimes she envied him for being so fluid. His movements make hers look like an elephant's in comparison.

"Where are you going?"

"Leader-sama had requested my presence after breakfast."

With that she just nodded, and without another word he left. She remained and quickly ate the remaining apple, and chugged down the juice. The scraps went into the trash bin and she proceeded outside.

The labyrinth of corridors that made up the base weren't confusing to her anymore. The winding passageways had distinctions, no matter how small they were. After a few minutes of trekking, she finally felt the cool breeze against her face.

It was a wonderful day to train. The sun was high in the sky and provided the right amount of warmth, while the gentle breeze lowered the temperature just a notch. She closed her eyes and reconnected with the environment. It always calmed her nerves.

She stood in the middle of the field and practiced some taijutsu moves on her own. Her movements were quick and precise, brought about by endless hours of practice. She was also taught by one of the best. Itachi Uchiha himself. But even after those long hours, she still hadn't managed to match his predatory grace. She envied him for it, but a larger part of her admired him. For his skills, and maybe even for the heart he's hidden deep under that villainous pretense.

She knew, deep down, that there was something quite not right about the prodigy's involvement with this criminal association. But she hadn't a clue what. Her curiosity would get out of hand sometimes, and she'd tried to summon the courage to directly ask him, but a part of her knew that no matter how much she pried, he would never directly answer her question. He'd just puzzle her with vague answers.

The young female felt frustrated at the thought, and lunged harder at an imaginary opponent. That man was the biggest enigma she's ever come across in her lifetime.

After almost an hour of her warm up, Itachi appeared behind her.

"What did leader tell you?" The little whirlwind didn't beat around the bush. He examined her tense stance. It seems that something has riled up his petite partner.

"We are to leave for a retrieval mission in two days time." His tone was flat, revealing no emotions whatsoever. After months of being with him, she'd learned to interpret his emotions through the smallest changes in his tone or posture. It was impossible to tell from his eyes. Seldom were emotions present in those obsidian pools. When they appear though, they disappear immediately in the blink of an eye.

A memory of a conversation they once had floated into her mind.

"_Itachi, may I ask you something?" _

_He looked to her direction and gave her his full attention. She felt like melting under the intensity of his gaze, but she still managed to voice her query._

"_Why is it that you remain emotionless all the time?"_

_The question had puzzled her since they'd met. It was only now that she found the courage to ask him._

"_Simply because emotions are a ninja's greatest weakness."_

The words took a while to sink in, but eventually they did. That was the reason she'd stopped wearing her heart on her sleeve all the time. It was her greatest liability. But she couldn't suppress them all the time. She was expressive by nature, she figured. There were always emotions present in her doe-like viridian eyes. She could never play the role of a walking ice-cube.

He was good at reading people, and she was one of the easiest to read.

"To where?"

"Snow."

Snow Country. She'd heard from stories that the country was a winter wonderland. Snow covered the ground all year round. The pristine, white precipitate was something she'd only dreamt of seeing.

Her nerves completely disappeared at the thought of finally leaving the stuffy base and arriving somewhere worthwhile for once. She was getting claustrophobic from all her time indoors.

She just nodded in response and faced him with a battle ready stance. Getting the message, he jumped back a few feet and adjusted his positioning.

She lunged at him first, and tried to connect her chakra laden fist with his jaw. He dodged it flawlessly, as she expected him to. She recovered quickly and tried to kick him backwards, but he caught her foot and threw her a good ten feet to the other sided of the field. She recovered in mid-air but found herself face to face with him as he sent a set of lightning fast kicks and punches. The kunoichi barely blocked them all, but failed to block the punt that sent her plummeting earthward.

He landed with a perfectly executed somersault, and she hit the ground with a large crater at her wake. That was going to leave a bruise.

Immediately she stood up and scanned the area. He had vanished into thin air. She knew she had to be cautious. His movements were silent, and his timing was always when she least expected.

She closed her eyes and felt for his chakra signature. It was something she was near-perfect at.

There.

She kicked the earth behind her, and created a fissure northward. He jumped from behind the trees and she threw multiple weapons along his way. As expected, he dodged them all, and caught a handful. He threw the weapons back at her and she back flipped out of the way.

Wrong move.

As soon as she took her eyes off of him, he disappeared, and immediately reappeared behind her and kicked her to a nearby tree. She groaned painfully. His skills never wavered, she thought. He was still as sharp as he was two years ago.

She picked herself up, and made some hand seals. A dozen Sakura clones appeared and lunged at the raven-haired male. He dodged their continuous punches, and jumped back. He wouldn't dare get hit by those chakra laden fists. Little did he know that the real Sakura was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. The clones attacked him again, and this time he met them, punch for punch. He managed to get rid of the majority of them, but his real teammate still hadn't appeared yet.

One of her remaining clones kicked a large crater on the ground, causing stones and debris to fly everywhere. He jumped, avoiding the dust cloud and threw shuriken at the clone. It disappeared in a puff of smoke upon contact. Another Sakura clone came up behind him and kicked his exposed back.

He recovered with an aerial back flip and threw kunai at the other clone. It instantaneously disappeared. Noiselessly, he floated to the ground and closed his eyes, trying to feel the slightest chakra abnormality in the premises. Without warning, a sudden explosion came from his left, momentarily distracting him. She only needed one moment to strike. She jumped from her hiding place and did a few hand seals that sent various weapons raining down on him. He tactfully evaded her assaults with grace and agility that only he could achieve.

Once again she'd disappeared again into the thick canopies of the trees. He smirked. She was getting better at her assault methods, more tactical. She'd given up the continuous assaults and listened to his advice that upon facing a stronger opponent, be tactical about your attack methods. Don't let him predict your movements. Otherwise, you'd be dead.

Their match went on for another hour or two, until Sakura got pinned to a tree with Itachi.

"Will the day ever come when I finally defeat you oh-great-Itachi Uchiha?" Her tone was dripping with thick sarcasm.

He looked at her with slight amusement glinting in his dark colored eyes. The hell cat had put up a good fight. He admired her determination and found it enjoyable to train her, even though she mouthed chains of profanities at a time, and would find himself looking forward to sparring sessions with her. She brought slivers of color back to his monochromatic life. For that he was thankful.

Her malachite orbs watched him as he mused. She already knew what he was doing, for the two summers she'd spent with him, she knew him well enough to read his posture. His eyes seldom showed emotion, save for when he allows them to, and his face was always a mask of nonchalance, so she believed that it was a great feat in itself.

Only when the wind picked up did she return to her senses. Wordlessly, she gathered herself and proceeded back inside the base. It was pointless dwelling over the Uchiha. She'd learned to read him over time, yet she could never truly piece together what he really was under all of those facades. A sigh escaped her lips without her knowledge. Itachi Uchiha would forever remain an enigma.

* * *

He'd followed her inside wordlessly; it was a common for them to remain silent. It wasn't eerie like one would expect from an S-Class criminal and a kunoichi. The silences were much preferred rather than rambling about nonsense, yet it was amusing that the kunoichi could often forget that, and the fact the he was one of the most notorious missing nins in all of the five nations.

She walked as if on auto-pilot, shoulders tensed, but her hastened steps hadn't faltered. It seems as though she was still daydreaming. Curiosity struck him immediately. The complex little blossom baffled him to no end with her multi-faceted personality. She was proving to be quite a challenge to decipher, unlike most shinobi. He'd see through them as if they were mere glass. With her he just couldn't tell. She was straight forward, yet shy. Her petite hands were miracle workers, bringing people back from the brink of death, yet they can easily end a life with a single blow. She contradicted herself.

As time passed, he found himself more and more intrigued about her, and the more he suppressed said feelings, the more they force themselves and cause him inner turmoil. His humanity was showing in the most disturbing of ways.

* * *

The pink haired maiden slumped down on her bed, inner turmoil reigning over her due to thoughts she'd rather not name. For the nth time that day, she sighed. She'd wait out the entire day in her sanctuary, and by evening she'd face the star of her unwanted thoughts.

* * *

**A/N: **Just so you know, I'm still alive. I've just been procrastinating, yes procrastinating (damnit), with this. I'd finished it in a span of 2 months all because of the stupidity called procrastinating. So yeah, expect updates at least twice a month. I will strive to finish this as soon as I can. To all my faithful readers, I apologize for my tardiness and thank you for waiting.


	4. Understanding

**Finally! After a day or two of procrastinating, I finally finished this chapter. I hope you enjoy this and if you could, please leave a review. Thank you.**

**~ella-chan15**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**

* * *

**

**Disappear**

**Chapter 4: Understanding**

**

* * *

**

She never knew how she got there, nor where that place was, but there was something about it that made her feel strangely comfortable. It had a sort of familiarity. Elation begins to encase her as she closed her eyes to inhale the sweet scent of the cherry blossoms that perfumed the air around the picturesque precipice. It was a few minutes to sunrise and the sky was beautifully painted in pastel hues of mauves and lilacs fading into the dimness of indigo. She took a deep breath and inhaled the crisp morning air. Suddenly the wind picked up, leaving her wind struck as she shielded her viridian eyes, but at the same instant, taking in the feeling of being one with the ambiance. She felt the dew drops on the grass she stood on with her bare feet; she could hear the sound of birds chirping as they awaken from their slumbers, she could touch the wind with her finger tips. Slowly, she opened her eyes. The feeling of being one with the ambiance instantaneously vanished. She sat on the dew-dropped grass as she stared into the nadir and waited for the colors to dissipate, only to leave an azure sky for her eyes to admire. Gradually, warmth started to engulf her as the lilacs, mauves and indigos of the firmament faded. 'Twas a wonderful feeling, reveling in simple pleasures she had been deprived of for so long.

In an instant, she felt a presence behind her, shielding itself from view behind the cover of the cherry blossom tree. She got to her feet and tried to approach the stranger but he started sprinting away. Compelled by curiosity, she followed the figure. She couldn't make out his face, but there was something oddly familiar about him. Maybe it was the shady hue of his spiked tresses. He'd slowed down his pace a little, striding hastily, as he swept through the myriad of people on the street, but still she ran after him, hoping to catch him. As she passed through the thick crowd, she could no longer spot the figure, with the lustrous crown of ebony hair. Familiarity struck her immediately, as a certain person crossed her mind. But it couldn't be him. If it had, he never would've run away.

She continued her leisurely stroll, but kept a keen eye out for him. Once again, the feeling of familiarity shook her as she laid her eyes on an old bridge and surely enough, there sat the man she sought. She approached him with caution, careful not to startle him. She stood behind him before speaking.

"Excuse me…" That was all she managed to muster.

"You've forgotten haven't you?" His tone hinting disappointment.

"What exactly? Why were you running from me?"

"See? You have."

Though she couldn't see his face, she knew he was hurting. Deeply. Which meant he really did play a role in her _former_ life. She knew what she had to do. She had to interrogate this man. He might be the one that can help her remember everything.

"Do I know you exactly?"

Now she was confused. This strange person, knows her? If so, then he also must know about her past and where she was from. Hope burned inside her. At long last, she'd found her way out of the darkness. He jumped up from his sitting position on the rail of the bridge and faced her. Her delicate features suddenly displayed utter shock. The man before her looked strikingly similar to Itachi, yet his features were softer.

"You've forgotten Sakura."

She stood up with a jolt. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face. Who was the man? Was it a memory or just another dream? She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. It read 3 o'clock. Falling back onto the bed, she let her eyelids fall shot. Unfortunately for her, all signs of slumber had disappeared, and now she was left tossing and turning. Without thinking, she headed out the door, her body seemingly on auto pilot as she went down the hall and knocked on his door. The rustling of sheets on the other side of the door indicated that he'd already stood up. He was a light sleeper, and that didn't shock her. He was always on his highest guard, even in unconsciousness. The door opened, revealing a very irked, and very shirtless, Uchiha. His gaze softened when it lingered on her.

"Might I ask what you necessitate in the middle of the night blossom?"

"I'm very sorry for waking you Itachi, but I couldn't sleep."

He gesticulated for her to come in, she obliged by entering then she sat on the window sill, as she hugged her knees. Itachi had already recognized something was wide of the mark, right from the moment she knocked on his door. That was something she'd constantly do when she was troubled. He approached her, and sat opposite to her, his eyes never leaving her as she idly gazed out the window. He knew that look. Her mind was somewhere distant. It was amusing how he could interpret her so very effortlessly, and she very well knew that. Her gaze landed on him, viridian meeting obsidian, conveying him a tacit plea for help. Just like that she came up to him and embraced him. His only response was to stroke her hair. He knew she found comfort in doing this, when words botched her and little did she know, he found just as much of it, maybe even more. This act of affection never had any malice to them; it just helped them to cope. Cope with the life they had chosen for themselves. Whether they want to admit it or not, they were star-crossed vagabonds, itinerant the same sinister thoroughfare. They had no abode waiting for them, no loved ones to care for them. All they had was each other, and at this moment, that was all they needed. Long moments of silence passed between them, both waiting for Sakura to find her voice again.

"I couldn't sleep because… I had a dream."

His silence meant for her to go on.

"There was a guy, he looked like he was my age. He accused me of forgetting him. Which pained me a lot. It grew tenfold when I saw pain etched on his features; pain I had caused. He looked at me with obsidian eyes that resembled yours. Then I woke up. I don't know if that was a memory or just another dream, but I can still feel his pain Itachi."

She buried her head in his chest, seeking as much warmth and comfort as she could. From the beginning of her tale, he knew who she was referring to. His dear otouto, Sasuke. The thought that she still loved his inane little brother pained him. Though he would never say it out loud, he cared for Sakura, much more than she thinks he does. He was being a selfish hypocrite. If he really cared, he would've let her go. He would've never lied to her the fateful day he found her, and led her back to the borders of Fire Country. But he chose to deceive her, make her go through all this pain. But was he? It was all for Sasuke. No matter how twisted it sounded. When Sasuke killed him, he could be with Sakura again. The thought destroyed him inside. He would be cast aside, considered the villain he never was, and untimely forgotten. But at least the person he sacrificed his entire existence for would be happy right? With the woman he loves, the one that loves him back. Though he could turn back, can't he? Throw away the plan he'd perfectly orchestrated since he was thirteen. He can't. That'd be too selfish of him. That'd also mean that she would be his, and his brother would suffer. He could never do it. His conscience would never let him. He deserved everything that he planned. There was no justification for killing his own family, even though they were orders.

The silence stretched on. It wasn't welcome, but it wasn't uncomfortable either. It was just that neither had anything left to say. The presence of each other seemed enough.

After a few more minutes, Sakura's lids felt heavy and slowly shut close. She and Itachi haven't moved from their position on the window sill, and it wasn't that neither of them minded it at all. When he felt her relax, he soon figured that she was asleep. His mind screamed at him to carry her back to her room but his muscles felt too weary. He just let him drift off to sleep.

Verdant eyes slowly started opening. A masculine scent perforated her senses. That was the only time she recalled where she was. She was in Itachi's room, and they fell asleep on the window sill. She also felt his masculine arms around her. A blush crept up to her cheeks as she looked at his face. He looked so peaceful, his long eyelashes touching his cheekbones, his breathing tranquil. She smiled to herself and once again rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeats. She'd never have the courage to tell him what he really meant to her. She cared for him, more than he thinks she does. Without warning, her nose started itching as she let out a quite sneeze. As she'd expected, that was enough to wake him. He looked down at her with soft expression in his eyes.

"Good morning." He said monotonously polite and removed his arms from around her waist.

"Good morning to you too." She replied with a smile as she backed away.

"I'm sorry I troubled you last night Itachi-kun."

"It is no problem Sakura."

"Thank you very much Itachi-kun." She said with a knowing smile.

'Twas inevitable. That faint knock on the door.

"Itachi-san, Pein-sama told Tobi to tell you that breakfast will be served in fifteen minutes."

And cue the flying hearts and whimsical music, Tobi walked, pranced rather, away. Sakura stood up and bid Itachi another thank you and left for her room. That morning, much to everyone's surprise, she was early for breakfast. Kisame and Deidara actually _cheered. _Yes, cheered. She gave them both a smack on the head for being so damn stupid, and that it embarrassed her immensely considering that it meant that that was one of the _very few _times she was early, and then breakfast had commenced.

"I would like to inform some of you that you shall be assigned on a mission. Some being Itachi and Sakura. Please be at my office no later than noon so you can have your briefing."

They both nodded in silent response.

Breakfast had commenced at it habitually did, constant bickering courtesy of Kisame, Deidara and Tobi, glances between her and Itachi, and the ever so present ogling. She was used to all that stuff, due to the fact that she's been there for almost two years, but it still surprised her sometimes when Kisame, Deidara, or sometimes even both, would ogle at her and Itachi's silent moments and go whispering to each other with mischievous looks on their faces. They'd stop only when Itachi would start to give off that menacing aura that silently said, leave-us-the-fuck-alone-or-I'll-strangle-you-with-your-own-intestines. When it was all over, they all went away to do their own businesses. Immediately, Sakura and Itachi followed Pein to his office. It was located at the furthest part of the headquarters. The room was dark, due to the lack of windows, and it had that menacing feeling about it which made an uncomfortable shiver run up Sakura's spine. Though she'd been here numerous times, she still can't hide the feeling of dread that comes by every time she's here. Pein sat on the chair behind his desk and Konan appeared beside him.

"You are to go on a mission in Cloud. There've been signs of the eight-tailed bijuu and I want the two of you to investigate. If you encounter it, capture it and return it here immediately. I expect you return in no less than 4 months. Understood?"

"Yes Leader-sama."

"You are to leave this afternoon."

With that, they left. Sakura let out a long sigh. One that she'd been holding since the moment they entered Pein's office. She looked up at Itachi with a faint smile. It had many meanings within it, but Itachi was always able to figure that out.

"Yey! We're finally getting out of this stuffy place."

Itachi just remained silent. She pouted slightly at him, and stopped on her tracks.

"You don't seem happy about this Itachi-kun. Don't you want to spend some _quality time_ with me?" She said with fake misery.

"You are quite the stubborn little girl aren't you Sakura?" His words countering hers with fake annoyance.

She just giggled in response. He stared at her, once again in awe of all her naivety and innocence. Never in his life had he experienced this kind of happiness, naivety and innocence, even before the murder of his clan. At the young age if six, he had his first kill. He was one of the noble shinobi who fought in the third shinobi war, something he was not proud of. He'd seen many things, imaged that have been permanently planted in his memory, ones that he can never forget. The horrors of those encounters were just one of many that maimed his life. At the same age, he'd graduated from the academy, when he turned twelve, he was forced to join the ANBU and just a year later, he was promoted to ANBU Squad Captain. His achievements were unheard of, and nobody could dare equal them. He was born with talent, talent that was honed and the cursed thing that made him into an emotionless killing machine, meant to be used by his clan to gain sovereignty over Konoha, and they almost succeeded at that. There was something deep inside of him that prevented him from doing that, the very thought that made him tell The Sandaime of his clan's evil plans. He was too much of a pacifist and chose the greater good. He didn't want another war. Looking back at all those memories, destroyed him, eating up what little soul he had left, but that never made him regret any of the decisions he's made regarding his past. If he hadn't done it, the consequences would've indeed been calamitous. He would never let his beloved otouto turn out the way he did, a pawn for their clan's power-hungry motives. And that love, was the only thing that kept him going to this day. He spared his brother's life by paying a heavy price. He would be the villain, and his brother would be the hero. The deceived. Forever kept in the dark. He'd never tell his brother the truth regarding the motives behind the massacre. Knowing him, he'll do something foolish and act on impulse, therefore resulting in his eternal banishment from Konoha. That would just make him suffer more. He snapped out of his thoughts when Sakura started playing with his ponytail.

He just gave her _that _look, which she already knows the meaning of.

"What? You were in one of your, _I'm-so-deep-in-thought_ moods, and I was in one of my, _I'm-bored-as-hell-moods_."

He just huffed at her slightly. She hugged his arm in response.

"Aw. C'mon! Don't be like that Itachi-kun."

He sighed. There was no winning with her. She sent a satisfactory smirk his way before walking down the hall. He walked in the same direction, anxious to have a spar with the little spit-fire.

After a three-hour sparring match with Itachi, Sakura felt as drained as ever. He'd been extra keen on today's match, probably in preparation for their departure for Cloud. Her legs gave way and she almost fainted out of sheer exhaustion. Luckily the soft grass broke her fall, as she immediately closed her eyes and started drifting off. Those stupid dreams always got the best of her. She didn't sleep so well the night before and that didn't sit well with the idea of her regaining all her chakra. Curiosity started to get the best of her again. Who was the person in her dream? She was beyond baffled. He could've helped. But just then, somnolence finally took control of her as she let herself fall in a light sleep. She knew all too well that Itachi was watching her, but that just gave her all the more reason to drift off. He didn't rebuke her, which meant she really needed this. He always knew what was best for her, even if she herself didn't.

He watched her intently, her deep breaths as she lay there sleeping, how relaxed her expression was. She was so beautiful, so innocent. Even with her eyes closed like this, she was still angelic. Absent-mindedly, he brushed some stray locks of candy-colored hair away from her face. He was never an affectionate one, but she always managed to bring the best out of him. As if on cue she opened her eyes lazily, it was like she felt his gaze on her, and looked at him with that ever so beautiful smile on her face and just like that, her eye lids started fluttering close, sleep engulfing her once more. If only life was as simple as staring into her emerald eyes.

* * *

**Alright. That was kinda short ne? But don't fret. I've already written out a draft for the rest of this story, which I'll hopefully be typing out in a week or so, one by one. It's a guarantee that I'll finish this story swiftly and afterwards, I might or might not sketch some scenes for this fic. You're free to as well, and if you're brimming with ideas for this, please let me know. Any participation of my readers is wholly welcome.**


	5. Prospect

**Author's Note: **I'm terribly sorry for the late update. I know I said that I'll be able to update faster, as the chapters were already pre-planned, but I just couldn't find the inspiration to write, hence this belated, and possibly unsatisfying, chapter. Forgive me.

There were also some minor changes done in the previous two chapters.

Also, I would like to thank the people who reviewed. Your reviews fuel my passion, so please, I encourage you to keep them coming.

* * *

**Standard disclaimer applies.**

**~ ella-chan15**

**Disappear**

**Chapter 5: Prospect**

It was almost noon and he was still in bed. He lost any tenacity to live since yesterday. The heartbreaking information was still crumbling his heart. In his mind, he willed everything to be a dream, a sick, warped dream that he would wake up from any moment now, but the logical part of him knew that it really wasn't. No matter how hard he'd pinch himself, even if he would slap himself silly, it will never alter the fact the she was missing. He closed his eyes again and willed himself to go to sleep but whenever he closes his eyes, all he sees are her smiles.

The whole world felt like it crumbled under his feet again when he felt a tight knot on his throat. He felt like crying but no tears flowed. It was excruciating. He'd never felt dread like this in a long time. Not since the day of the massacre.

All he did was lie there, staring at the white ceiling, hoping for sleep to take him away from the harsh reality of this whole situation, but to no avail. He kept hearing the wound of her melodious voice.

"_Sasuke-kun.."_

* * *

Wind. She opened her eyes and found herself in another place, far from where she fell asleep, in another dream. But was it really a dream though? Or just a distant memory. Perhaps she'll never know. Strangely enough, not knowing doesn't bother her so much. It only brings about confusion, headaches and her constant obsession. Her obsession with knowledge.

Ever since she can remember, though that wasn't so long ago, she never liked the feeling of being kept in the dark, by anyone. She'd constantly fixate over the slightest thing that mystified her, or caught her attention.

Today it was different. It was as if the wind softly hitting her face carried away all her inhibitions. Everything was clear. The cerulean sky, the lush meadow, the petite hill. Calmness that she'd never experienced before convinced her that this really was a dream. She didn't protest, but just basked in the feeling of euphoria she found in this place.

She turned her back from the wind and walked, feeling the soft blades of grass caress her feet. Her eyes once again absorbed her surroundings, the lush field stretched as far as the eye could see, and in the distance were mountains. The trees were scarcely scattered, but she thought that they weren't really necessary as it wasn't too hot to enjoy the place.

She rested on the grass with her eyes closed and sighed. She was reveling this feeling of being suspended in time. There was only peace, within herself, and in the ambiance. Peace that may be perforated at any moment. All she could do is embrace the uncertainty of this moment. In this world there were no limits and only in this _sanctuary _can she feel the true meaning of peace, freedom and contentment.

She'd been lying there for a good few minutes before deciding to get up again. A thought came to her. maybe she should roam around? After all, nobody was there to stop her.

She started ambling with no direction. Then realization hit her, grass, flowers and a few scarce trees were the only things here beside her. Still, she ambled around, going wherever her feet took her.

Amusingly, she never got tired. It felt like she'd been walking for hours when she saw a figure standing in the shade of the tree in another hill.

She ran and ran until she reached the top, and inhaled deeply as she stood beneath the shade of the large tree. The person standing, rather leaning against the trunk of the tree, looked at her, with surprise written in his sun-kissed face. She grew still when she met his gaze. His azure eyes were very expressive.

She assumed he was like her; one who wore their heart on their sleeve. His eyes, she couldn't look away from his beautiful eyes. Then he shot her a cheeky grin as he ran his right hand through his spiky blonde tresses.

"Took you long enough to get here Sakura-chan." He said, joy brimming in every word.

All she could do was stare at him. He barely noticed and turned around, as if he was going to make a run for it. He glanced back at her one more time and winked at her while giving her a thumbs up.

Now she was really confused. How could he treat her with such familiarity, yet she doesn't even know him? She mentally cursed. It slipped her mind that she really had no memories. At all. That was really stupid of her to forget. And then he went runnin'.

"Catch me if you can Sakura-chan!" He shouted in glee as he ran away with his arms comically raised above his head. She couldn't help but smile and follow the weird fellow. The wind felt wonderful against her face as she ran after the unknown friend. She was giggling the whole time and he was laughing. He must've really meant something to her. He started running backwards and sticking his tongue at her.

"Too slow Sakura-chan!"

Instead of being pissed, like she always was, she let out another giggle at the childishness of this boy and ran toward him full throttle.

She was going to make him taste grass that's for sure. The boy infront of her looked at her in distress when he saw that she was a tad bit too close for comfort and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, up toward another small hill. There he momentarily stopped to take a breath. Sakura saw this opportunity and darted towards him.

She tackled him, and they both stumbled down the small hill with his arms around her, taking the soft force of their tiny impact on the soft grass. They both laughed as they rolled down, down, down until they reached the bottom. He let her go and they both sprawled themselves on the soft grass and laughed to their hearts content. This was truly a wonderful dream, she thought as she looked at his cerulean eyes, the mirrors through his soul.

He threw another grin her way and sat up, both his palms laid flat on the soft grass. She too, mimicked his movements. Her eyes didn't stray from him. He had this, childlike innocence, his carefree nature. She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when he looked down on her and playfully stuck out his tongue.

"That wasn't fair Sakura-chan. I was totally off-guard! But you can't catch me this time." And with that he ran away again. There was something about him, that lifted her spirits, that made her laugh and smile.

She momentarily closed her eyes, taking in all this merriment, but when she opened them and sat up, she found herself back on the not-so-soft grass of the training yard, with a very curious Itachi gazing at her. She let out a yawn and stretched her arms.

"What?" She looked at him with utter confusion.

"You were laughing in your sleep." He stated monotonously.

She light blush crept up to her cheeks.

"Sorry." She said as she rubbed the back of her head.

'_Great. I've just made a complete weirdo out of myself without knowing it.'_

His eyes observed her for a few moments more, each gesture & action absorbed. He could tell she was embarrassed by the slightest tinge of pink on her cheek. She stood up without another word and went inside. Now he was left there, his obsidian eyes staring at nothing in particular.

'_What's wrong with me? I've been having dreams, memories more often than I had before.' _

She was waist-deep in thought, when suddenly, she hit something or rather, someone. It was Deidara.

"Hey! Watch where-" He stopped in mid-sentence when he saw those huge emerald eyes.

"Oh Sakura-chan, I'm so sorry, yeah." He said while scratching his head. He immediately stood up and offered her a hand, which she gladly received.

"Thank you Deidara-kun." She said with that all too familiar smile. Deidara had a slight pink on his cheeks at the sight. Even though she was all grimy and filthy, she was still adorable.

"I have to go now Dei-kun. I'm in dire need of another bath."

"Wait Saku-chan."

She turned towards him with a curious look on her face.

"Hai?"

"Would you like to have some tea and dango with me, un?"

Her face immediately brightened up.

"I would love to!" Beaming him a foxy grin, akin to the one from the boy in her dream.

"That's great." He said, and they both went their merry way to their destinations.

* * *

There he sat, on the branch of the tree, letting his ebony locks dance with the wind. He was deep in thought again. He'd heard the news about his brother. It relieved him greatly, knowing that the person he sacrificed everything for finally snapped back to his senses. His plan was right on track. All he had to prepare for now, was their meeting. His death would come.

The thought never frightened him before, but now it was, different. It left a vile taste in his mouth. Many things have changed in the past six years, and one of those could be found within himself. _She _was the reason for this. They had something, a deep understanding with one another, which created a sort of bond between them, something he didn't want to lose.

It scared him really. The mere thought of caring, of showing emotion, scared him. Never in his life had he become selfish. Not once has he been possessive. But all of that's changing. For the worse. he had to think of a way to handle this situation, to take charge of his emotions, after all they made shinobi weak.

He closed his eyes and willed the wind to take all his inhibitions with it.

* * *

She decided to take a quick shower, and she wore her usual training outfit and headed off to the living room. She knew Deidara was waiting for her with her favorite dangos and tea. The thought made her giddy. Something made that feeling go away though, the smell of the rain. This was Amegakure, and it was always raining, but there was still that feeling of somnolence whenever the sky turned gray. Absent-mindedly she stopped on her tracks. Maybe it was because the pitter-patter of the raindrops always pulled her into deep reverie. Reverie of the past two years, and the possibilities of her past.

There was a sort of dreariness hanging over her these past few days. Something was about to happen.

She snapped out of it when she heard the crash of thunder. Hastily, she ran to the living room as she remembered that Deidara was waiting for her.

Through the threshold, she saw his silhouette in front of the dancing embers of the fireplace. He'd already set up the tea and dango treats while waiting for her. His blonde hair obscured one eye as the other watched the flames engulf the firewood. She walked quietly towards him and sat on the chair opposite, which slightly startled him. He was deep in thought and she vaguely wondered what he thought about.

The atmosphere around them was quite tense, maybe because of the silence, but unexpectedly, he spoke.

"I hate the rain."

She stood rooted on the spot for a few moments, trying to figure out what brought about that sudden somnolence.

After more tense moments of silence, he finally spoke.

"It's a constant reminder of my loss."

Her eyes widened fractionally. She never knew there was a soft spot to Deidara. He was always fun loving and happy. But deep in those sapphire eyes of his, lies sadness she couldn't begin to contemplate.

The silence almost begged him to continue.

"Her name was Sora."

Another awkward pause.

"She was two years younger than me and she was my everything… Our parents were killed in the third great shinobi war. Since then I was the one who took care of her, yeah. She told me... she told me that one day she wanted to be a shinobi, so she could protect the ones she held dear. Eventually she did. I was so proud of her, yeah. She'd become a chuunin at the age of 14 and just after I had become a jounin."

She felt his remorse even though she didn't know the feeling of great loss. Instinctively, she reached for his hand and soothed him in her way as he continued.

"Then on the night she passed the exam, we watched the stars together. She'd been so happy that day. Everything was starting to fall into place. That night I had the fondest memory of what she said when everything was still perfect. She said that one day; she wanted to touch the clouds that billowed in the breeze. I told her it was strange, but she just laughed… Then the week after that she was sent on a mission… The one she never returned from…"

Her eyes softened. No matter how much time passed, the pain of losing someone close to you never goes away. Time just lets you get used to it.

"It was a rainy night, much like this one, and she was due back. Luckily I wasn't assigned on a mission because that night I decided to show her my newly created jutsu, the paper bird. I couldn't hold back my excitement when I thought of how she would react to it…"

He put on a sad smile on continued.

"Then.. I found out that her team had been ambushed on their way back from her first C-Rank Escort Mission and that… she was killed."

Her grip on his hand tightened.

"I fought the tears that threatened to spill, but I… I just couldn't. Then I figured, that's why it rained. The sky was also mourning from my loss. That night was also the night I left my village because without her, I knew I was lost."

Sakura ducked her head and whispered.

"I'm sorry for your loss Dei-kun."

She couldn't look him in the eyes, because frankly, she didn't know what to say. And she thought, maybe, just maybe, someone, somewhere felt the same when she disappeared.

"Don't be Saku-chan."

Her ears perked up and summoned the courage to look at him, but his eyes were still unwavering from the embers.

"I know you must be remorseful right now because you blame yourself for doing that to others. You know you shouldn't. It isn't your fault that you almost died. Maybe it was fated to happen and it has a reason.."

"What do you mean Dei-kun?"

"Everything has a reason. I figured that out long ago. Even though I accept it, her death still pains me greatly."

"Her death made me leave the village, with the intention of becoming a civilian and live a life away from all of the war, the pain, the death. But when I was travelling, I had encountered a man with red hair, honey colored eyes. The one who carved out a new path for me."

"_Sasori-danna."_

"He told me that I was lost. At the time, I didn't know what he meant, I only knew he had all the answers, yeah. So, curiosity got the better of me and I followed his path, completely forgetting about mine."

He took a small break and sipped his tea.

"Then through time, I discovered what he meant by that. I actually felt alive, after a just existing. I also thought, that maybe, all I've ever done my whole life was exist. I also realized that you have to get lost, one way or another, because if you don't, you might never get found, yeah. Law and prejudice are just temporary chains created by humans like ourselves. None of them apply when it comes to finding out where you belong."

She sat there, dumbfounded. Everything Deidara said made sense. Her gaze was fixed on him as she expressed her deepest gratitude. His wise words would help her when the line between her past and future would blur.

* * *

Obsidian eyes stared at the tall building ahead. It took all of his resolve to get up. His mind was racing with possibilities about the whereabouts of his pink haired teammate. His eyes were set forward, but his mind was somewhere else.

"_Uhm Sasuke-kun?" He sighed. It just wasn't his day was it? First, their sensei was a madman, and now his new 'teammate' wanted to go on a date with him._

_He looked up at her and saw that she was playing with her fingers as she stared at her feet with a blush adorning her beautiful face._

_Wait._

_What?_

_Beautiful? Where did that adjective come from? His expression visibly changed at the very thought. He examined her again. There was this certain emotion he gets, every time he looks at her and it frightened him. He dismissed the thought and declined her offer._

"_No Sakura." _

_That shy smile from her face faded. She knew that he was just going to reject her time and time again, so why does she even try? He didn't further acknowledge her as he placed his head once again on top of his interlaced fingers as he placed his elbows on his knees once again. He felt a sudden ache in his heart, and contemplated on the possibilities of what might happen if he had accepted her offer._

He'd been foolish. He should've realized the significance of those feelings he harbored for her. But alas, you only realize what you have until it's gone. He didn't realize that he was already at the door to the Hokage's office.

He knocked on the door and heard a muffled, "come in".

He saw the Hokage, brushing a few more of the remaining tears away from her eyes. He knew why she was crying. It was the same reason for his own tears. She just misses her young student.

He knows how much the Hokage loved her apprentice. She was like a daughter to her. She'd become Sakura's mother when her parents had passed away.

"What do you want Uchiha?" It was midday, and the Hokage was already drunk. She had a rough night. Her young apprentice wouldn't stop making appearance in her head, and all she could do was cry.

"I am here to ask for a mission."

"You're on probation for 3 months Uchiha."

"I know that Tsunade-sama. That mission is to commence after three months."

The blonde's eyes narrowed. She automatically knew what mission he was going to ask for and she knows she wouldn't be able to resist. A small glimmer of hope still shined inside of her. Hope that Sakura might still be out there.

She'd spent countless nights telling herself that her young student was never coming back but the words never seemed to sink in. If a trace of her body was found, that might be able to bring some sort of closure to her.

"A retrieval mission for Sakura Haruno…"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Not one of my best works. It just starts to unravel the whole theme of the story. Thank Google for this quote

"If you don't get lost, there's a chance you may never be found."

The story will revolve around that. For now, I bid you adeui. I still have to find inspiration. Oh and before I forget, please leave some reviews. Feedback will be highly appreciated.


End file.
